Wedding Photography at Lambeth Town Hall & Register Office
**I’m taking bookings for weddings at this venue for 2024-25 now!**
In the Circular Hall at Lambeth Town Hall, there is plenty of room for your photographer to move around during the ceremony, and the registrars don’t mind this at all.
A Grade II Listed Wedding Venue in the Heart of Brixton
The Lambeth Register Office is located within Lambeth Town Hall on Brixton Hill. Grade II listed and recently refurbished, it is a lovely venue for your wedding or civil partnership and great for wedding photography.
With rooms suitable for only you and your witnesses up to the Assembly Hall, seating 300, Lambeth Town Hall has a wedding space perfect for anyone getting married in South London.
The registrars are photography-friendly and are proactive in helping to ensure your photographer can capture the best moments from your day. The above image shows how comfortable they are with my movement and positioning, enabling me to take excellent wedding ceremony photos.
The courtyard is where your guests meet and is the perfect setting for those scene-setting greeting shots.
Are You Planning Your Wedding at Lambeth Town Hall?I photograph discretely and unobtrusively to capture the best moments, leaving you to enjoy your day. With me as your wedding photographer, your memories will be in safe hands, so please get in touch any time to discuss… |
This is the door off the courtyard at the back of the building, where you and your guests will enter for your ceremony.
Also Consider>> Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding Photography.
This photo shows the Circular Hall. It isn’t a room but a meeting point of three staircases.
Grooms Michael and Archie descend the middle stairs to their ceremony in the Circular Hall.
Read More>> Short Day Wedding Photography – Ideal for Register Office Weddings.
The start of the ceremony can be nerve-wracking, and these grooms look a bit nervous as they approach the registrars.
A Fantastic Location on Brixton Hill
Lambeth Town Hall is on the Brixton end of the long Brixton Hill, opposite The Ritzy on the junction of Coldharbour Lane and Brixton Road.
Lambeth’s register office is in a busy, urban area with numerous local spots, ideal for photography and portraits before and after your ceremony.
Weddings are vibrant, fun, and convenient, too!
With the backdrop of three large windows and Brixton outside, there is scope for some lovely photography encapsulating the spirit of the wedding day.
The Lambeth Town Hall Registrars & Photography
The registrars and staff at Lambeth are always busy with weddings, particularly in the summer months. The town hall has no less than 9 wedding spaces available, so it is imperative that everything runs on time and to schedule. And it does – like clockwork…
The registrars are friendly and approachable, which is a great help for the photographer. They are accommodating throughout the couple’s short time getting married, treating every wedding with the care that the occasion deserves.
Your photographer may have the most challenging job of the day in capturing all those precious memories you’ll look back on for years. So, photographing in a venue where the presiding officials are so helpful is a real boon.
It is a good idea to have readings during your ceremony. They provide another memory, and it’s more for your photographer to capture.
Useful to Know When Booking Your Wedding
- You can check availability and book through the Lambeth Council website or email love@lambeth.gov.uk.
- 15 minutes is allowed before the ceremony to set up in the venue room. I use this time to photograph the guests as they arrive.
- Saturdays can be busy with a high turnover of weddings, so there may be less time for portraits outside. The Brixton area provides lots of other photo opportunities, though.
- As well as marriages, Lambeth Town Hall also performs Renewals of Vows, Civil Ceremonies and Naming Ceremonies, all of which may be photographed.
Lambeth Town Hall Wedding Photography Rooms
Some rooms are ideal for wide-angle photography. In this one, I have captured everyone present for the ceremony.
The Mayor’s Heritage Suites: A collection of three inter-connected rooms, the suite can be hired as one or individually. Can seat 51-100 wedding guests.
The Circular Hall: Located under the clock tower at the corner of the building, this is arguably the most stunning venue at Lambeth Town Hall for your intimate wedding ceremony. It has seating for 11-25 guests and is perfectly photogenic.
The Council Chamber: This room has a traditional horseshoe shape, allowing guests a good view wherever they sit. It has space for 100 in the central part of the room, with a further 60 on the balcony if required.
The Assembly Hall: With high windows and wood panelling, this is Lambeth Town Hall’s largest wedding venue. It seats 100-300 guests comfortably, and the light nature of the room makes it perfect for your wedding photography.
The Olive Morris Suite: This mid-sized room has seating for 40 and is light and airy.
Suite 16: Capacity for 100 wedding guests. The room has a separate kitchen area, perfect for your ceremony and reception.
The Pauline Room: Intimate and floral is how I describe this wedding space. It hosts up to 20 guests and has a floral wall for some portraits.
The Ante Chamber: With a capacity for 11-25 guests, this room is long and narrow – like a wide corridor! It has good, natural light and is perfect for wedding photography.
The David Bowie Room: Available Monday to Thursday only. This ground-floor, pale green room is the smallest at Lambeth and seats up to 10 guests. There is limited room for your photographer to move around.
**There’s more info on all these wedding spaces and how to book at Lambeth Council’s Official Site**
Sometimes, the couple prepare words to read to each other. Again, this helps to make the day even more personal.
Also Consider>> Islington Town Hall for Your Civil Marriage.
I take a sequence of photos of the exchange of wedding rings. The intense eye contact between the couple makes this photo stand out. So remember to ‘be’ with each other and enjoy every precious moment.
Signing the Lambeth Marriage Schedule
In May 2021, significant changes came when the wedding register moved online. Signing a marriage schedule has now replaced the traditional register. The marriage certificate presentation, too, has been consigned to history, as it is now posted to couples after the day. I have mixed feelings about these changes as it was a symbolic moment of the wedding day to photograph.
The Lambeth registrars were always relaxed about photographing the signing of the register. So, in that respect, little has changed.
I took this as Archie signed the schedule. The Lambeth registrars are very relaxed around the photography of the signing.
They also give time for some posed photos with the witnesses.
Lambeth Register Office Confetti & Congratulations
Sadly, no confetti is allowed in any part of Lambeth Town Hall. However, they do encourage bubbles, which can be bought at reception.
Straight after the ceremony, I take time to photograph family and friends, congratulating the newlyweds. This is a lovely part of the day, and the photos can really paint a portrait of family relationships and the love between friends. My advice is to take your time with this.
I like to take time to photograph the congratulations after the ceremony.
There are many photo opportunities after the ceremony, including this guest admiring the groom’s ring.
Posed Group & Couples Photos
I supply a short questionnaire when couples book me for their Lambeth Town Hall wedding photography, which includes a section for any posed shots they need. This makes things run efficiently when I photograph the posed wedding portraits.
Where we take the posed photos depends very much on which room you have at your wedding. Some rooms are fine for these set-ups, while others (particularly the smaller venue rooms) require relocation.
The steps in the Circular Hall are perfect for arranging a group shot of the wedding party. This is often the most important group shot to capture.
Lambeth Town Hall FAQs
Q. WHY GET MARRIED AT LAMBETH TOWN HALL?
A. The Grade II early 20th century has an elegance to add style and sophistication to any wedding day. With 9 wedding venues to choose from, from the very small to rooms catering for 300, there is a space for everyone
The registrars are experienced, helpful and keen for you to have the best time on your wedding day.
Q. IS PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED OF OUR WEDDING CEREMONY AND VOWS?
A. Yes. This venue welcomes photographers with no restrictions. Photography is allowed in all the rooms, and your photographer may move around as required to capture all the key moments.
Q. IS CONFETTI ALLOWED AFTERWARDS FOR A NICE SEQUENCE OF PHOTOS?
A. Unfortunately, confetti is not allowed anywhere in the venue. Bubbles are permitted and are on sale at the reception.
Q. WHAT IS THE LIGHT LIKE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY INSIDE THE VENUE?
A. It depends mainly on which room you are in. Most of the rooms have large windows to allow for natural wedding photos. I use some bounced flash to enhance the light where needed.
Smaller group shots work there, too. The table at the back is where the venue will be set up for the drinks reception if the couple books one.
I love shots like this taken as I caught the groom and a friend having a quick cuddle…
Lambeth Town Hall,
1 Brixton Hill,
London.
SW2 1RW.
